warm
Americanadjective
-
having or giving out a moderate degree of heat, as perceived by the senses.
a warm bath.
- Antonyms:
- cool
-
of or at a moderately high temperature; characterized by comparatively high temperature.
a warm oven; a warm climate; a warm summer.
- Antonyms:
- cool
-
having a sensation of bodily heat.
to be warm from fast walking.
- Antonyms:
- cool
-
conserving or maintaining warmth or heat.
warm clothes.
-
(of colors) suggestive of warmth; inclining toward red or orange rather than toward green or blue.
-
characterized by or showing lively feelings, passions, emotions, sympathies, etc..
a warm heart; warm interest.
-
strongly attached; intimate.
warm friends.
-
cordial or hearty.
a warm welcome.
- Synonyms:
- fervent
- Antonyms:
- aloof, unfriendly
-
heated, irritated, or angry.
to become warm when contradicted.
-
animated, lively, brisk, or vigorous.
a warm debate.
- Synonyms:
- vehement
-
strong or fresh.
a warm scent.
-
close to something sought, as in a game.
-
uncomfortable or unpleasant.
His opponents made things so warm that he decided to quit.
-
British Informal. well off; in easy circumstances.
verb (used with object)
-
to make warm; heat (often followed byup ).
to warm one's hands; to warm up a room.
-
to heat or cook (something) for reuse, as leftovers (usually followed by over orup ).
to warm up yesterday's stew.
-
to excite enthusiasm, ardor, cheerfulness, or vitality in (someone).
The wine soon warmed the company.
-
to inspire with kindly feeling; affect with lively pleasure.
It warms my soul to hear you say that.
-
to fill (a person, crowd, etc.) with strong feelings, as hatred, anger, or zeal.
Restrictions had warmed the crew to the point of mutiny.
verb (used without object)
-
to become warm or warmer (often followed byup ).
The room will warm up when the fire gets going.
-
to become ardent, enthusiastic, animated, etc. (often followed by up orto ).
The speaker quickly warmed to her subject.
-
to grow kindly, friendly, or sympathetically disposed (often followed by to ortoward ).
My heart warms toward him.
noun
idioms
adjective
-
characterized by or having a moderate degree of heat; moderately hot
-
maintaining or imparting heat
a warm coat
-
having or showing ready affection, kindliness, etc
a warm personality
-
lively, vigorous, or passionate
a warm debate
-
cordial or enthusiastic; ardent
warm support
-
quickly or easily aroused
a warm temper
-
(of colours) predominantly red or yellow in tone
-
(of a scent, trail, etc) recently made; strong
-
near to finding a hidden object or discovering or guessing facts, as in children's games
-
informal uncomfortable or disagreeable, esp because of the proximity of danger
verb
-
(sometimes foll by up) to raise or be raised in temperature; make or become warm or warmer
-
to make or become excited, enthusiastic, etc (about)
he warmed to the idea of buying a new car
-
to feel affection, kindness, etc (for someone)
I warmed to her mother from the start
-
(tr) to give a caning to
I'll warm you in a minute
noun
-
informal a warm place or area
come into the warm
-
informal the act or an instance of warming or being warmed
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
warmernoun
-
warmnessnoun
-
rewarmverb
-
prewarmverb (used with object)
-
overwarmedadjective
-
unwarmedadjective
-
unwarmingadjective
-
warmishadjective
-
well-warmedadjective
-
warmlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
warmsimple
-
warmssimple
-
have warmedperfect
-
has warmedperfect
-
am warmingprogressive
-
are warmingprogressive
-
is warmingprogressive
-
have been warmingperfect progressive
-
has been warmingperfect progressive
Past
-
warmedsimple
-
had warmedperfect
-
was warmingprogressive
-
were warmingprogressive
-
had been warmingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of warm
First recorded before 900; Middle English adjective werm, warm, wearm(e), Old English wearm; cognate with German warm, Old Norse varmr; akin to Latin formus “warm,” Greek thermós “warm,” Sanskrit gharmá- “heat,” Avestan garəma “hot,” Old Prussian gorme “heat,” Armenian ǰerm “warm”; the verb is akin to the adjective; the noun is derivative of the verb
Vocabulary lists containing warm
Visual Arts - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Visual Arts - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Visual Arts - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Scientists stress that warm, sunny weather is not automatically bad for bumblebees.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
“So it’s been a very warm period in recent months, and really years, for that matter.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
His legions of fans will feel he was hard done by and it was remarkable to witness the warm reception he received on Saturday after he had been docked those two shots.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Dates are saccharine — they’ve got rich, prominent notes of honey, caramel and warm vanilla, which are indeed delectable, yet can be pretty intense on the palate.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
He stares at me, whipped cream dripping down the side of his cup in the warm air.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
![]()
In fact, by 2070, our summers could be up to 60% drier and 1-6C warmer compared to 1990.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
In laboratory experiments and controlled applications on skin, the tetrapod sunscreen produced a warmer appearance that more closely matched natural skin tones.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
“And once it makes that transition from the warmer to the cooler waters, it’s going to fall apart rapidly. So really, it’s just the remnants that are moving forward.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
We now deal with wildfire smoke every year, in a “season” that stretches longer and longer each year thanks to warmer and drier conditions.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
“You can sleep in here where it’s warmer and I’ll take your place by the window!”
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
![]()
I have dozens of friends and colleagues still living there, and my warmest memories of working in theater in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia come from this frigid city.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Much of this loss will occur in India: Since record-keeping began in 1901, the country has experienced 10 of its warmest years in the past 15 years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
The warmest conditions are expected from Monday, with temperatures across much of England and Wales likely to peak during the middle to latter part of the week.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
In Cardiff, temperatures did not drop below 23.5C on the night of Wednesday 24 June into Thursday – the warmest June night ever recorded around the UK.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
The door leads into a cavernous storage room, where on even the warmest day the air is moist and chilly.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
![]()
High pressure causes colder air to sink in the atmosphere, where it compresses, warms up and dries out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Most agree it is likely to weaken as the planet warms.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
As the planet warms, soils can release more carbon, which in turn adds more CO2 to the atmosphere and may contribute to additional warming.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
The Aero warms the water and incorporates the matcha, leaving you with a frothy base to serve on its own or mix with milk, lemonade, peach nectar or even espresso.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
A small glow of pride warms my chest.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
![]()
Saka warmed up during the closing stages but never entered the contest - and the decision quickly became one of the tournament's defining talking points.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The new format, expanding team participation from 32 to 48, has brought to center stage smaller, underdog countries that have outperformed expectations, produced unexpected heroes and warmed our collective hearts.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
However, the very hottest days have warmed three times quicker than this - by 4.5C in the Greater London region - according to the Met Office.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Leventoff, 35, a financial analyst at an investment firm, said he was touched that she warmed up to him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
The kitchen warmed up, and the smoky scent of chili wrapped around me like a blanket.
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
![]()
It says the climate we used to know in the 20th century is now a thing of the past, with the UK warming approximately 0.25C per decade since the 1980s.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
The first stage would focus on warming the planet.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
The European economy is under increasing pressure from a warming climate, according to analysts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Do it in the right way – it’s not a science lecture on global warming, it’s a story about how clean energy can reduce your bills.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Unafraid of the girls, One Horn stepped out onto the path and stood alert in the early light, basking a little, warming his coat.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.